This UN GA session really shows how isolated Russia is

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Pavlo Klimkin deems the start of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly to be successful in terms of world support for the Ukrainian position, as well as evidence of deeper international isolation of Russia.

He said Thursday after the Ukrainian delegation’s visit to New York.

“I remember many United Nations General Assembly sessions, and since we started [the current session] with including the question of occupied territories in the agenda of the General Assembly, I ask everyone to look at the result, at who voted,” the minister noted, meaning minimal support at the UN for the Russian position.

He said that “this vote really shows in which isolation Russia is and that we are moving forward.”

Klimkin also commended the efforts that have given “very cool impetus” to a resolution on Crimea.

“We began to prepare a special resolution on the militarization of the occupied Crimea. This question is very important and sensitive to all,” he said.

In this regard, the minister said that he had spoken with representatives of countries, including Latin America, Asia and other regions.

“They all say that we do not have to allow these precedents. Everyone is very interested in this,” he said.

Klimkin also stressed the importance of raising peacekeeping subjects at the UN, in particular a peacekeeping force in Donbas, the release of hostages and political prisoners, and the reform of the United Nations.

“You may consider me incorrect, but today the UN is in decadence, because the UN is blocked in the context of making extremely important decisions. Therefore, the reform of the Security Council and the United Nations as a whole is not just urgent. We should have done it a few years ago,” he said.

In this regard, he called the discussions in the first days of the new session of the General Assembly “a very good beginning.”